1903 reference to 100 YO bonsai in Melbourne

[lindsay farr]

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article ... l-title=13

[lindsay farr]

It's at the top of the final paragraph,

[MoGanic]

[MattA]

Thanks for posting Lindsay. I read the whole article then realised there is a typed manuscript of the original on the left hand side of the page

Its great to see more of our bonsai history come to light, I wonder what happened to those trees.. .......

[lindsay farr]

I should walk the dog around there and see if they were planted in the ground and flourished. I fear they are long gone.

[Damian Bee]

Possibly, however there is the chance that they are preserved as most valuable works of art are.

[lindsay farr]

Eminent bonsai historian, Robert J. Baran has researched and compiled a page with insights into Lady and Sir Malcolm Mc Eacharn. This is the earliest reference to bonsai in Australia that I am aware of. It is interesting to note that as engaged and active with Japanese art and culture as Sir Malcolm was, he was also adamantly committed to keeping Japanese people out of a "White Australia". A perplexing stand for a man who was Consul of Japan at the time.

Here is the link to the page.
http://www.phoenixbonsai.com/1900Refs/Argus1903.html

[Webos]

Amazing find Lindsay. If only we knew where they were now. By the way, what is the oldest known bonsai in Australia? (by that I mean, which tree has been in training as bonsai for the longest). Are there any old old imported trees here that we know of?

[lindsay farr]

When I was a kid there were some ancient imported Japanese pines at Mrs Johnston's bonsai nursery in Sassafras. During the eighties these were sold. I don't know what became of them.
The Komesaroff family of Brighton had Japanese bonsai during the 1930's. Mrs Lindsay Gibson's family had imported bonsai including a gnarled trident maple in the 1920's. After a few years they deemed bonsai to be "cruel" and planted the trident in the garden. When I last viewed it in the 1990's it had grown into grand towering tree with no sign's of it's former life. Sadly, when I returned to view it recently it was gone and replaced with a subdivision road.

A good question Webos.

[Tony Bebb]

Wow!

How cool is that

Thanks Lindsay

[Damian Bee]

If bonsai was deemed cruel, what was the consensus regarding topiary?

[lindsay farr]

and how about all those cruel people cutting the grass in their yard.

[Webos]

I was at a wedding recently and they asked me to photograph a multicoloured handful of sexual organs. Hopefully I dont get locked up for it in the future!

[GavinG]

Webos, your secret is safe with us. Mind you wash your hands.

Gavin

[lindsay farr]

Is this the reason Webos has not washed his hands since the wedding.